History

Saving and Nurturing Puttenahalli Lake

For
centuries the Puttenahalli
Lake in J.P. Nagar had
been a pristine water body, playing a vital role in maintaining the fragile ecosystem
of our neighbourhood. Like many other lakes in Bangalore, this one too fell prey to indiscriminate
exploitation and neglect. Like them it would also have vanished into oblivion
but…

- 262 lakes, tanks and water-bodies (early 1950s)- Man-made, most of them created by early rulers of the city- Interconnected in a cascading fashion, prevented flooding- Used for drinking water, irrigation, fishing, washing clothes

In the absence of a river close-by, Bangalore depended heavily on lakes for its drinking water requirements.

Over the years the lakes have been disappearing one-by-one, along with the general knowledge that they even existed.

Where did the lakes go?

- Increasing urbanization and consequent demand for land – Water bodies were sacrificed for ‘developmental/ infrastructural requirements’ of the city.- Exploitation and neglect - Dumping of debris and garbage, inflow of sewage led to degradation of lakes, that it was easier to close them up than to save them.- Malaria scare - Instead of finding ways to eliminate malaria-causing mosquitoes, water-bodies were eliminated

Kempegowda Bus Stand at Majestic, Kanteerava Stadium, Football Stadium, Hockey Stadium, KGA Golf Course, National Games Village Koramangala were all lakes once!